CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Cuyahoga County Probate Judge Anthony Russo, whose hands-on involvement in the hunt for a new Cleveland Metroparks executive director has come into question, on Monday named the mayor of Mayfield to the three-member parks board.

Bruce Rinker, mayor since 1993 and a partner in the Cleveland law firm of Mansour, Gavin, Gerlack & Manos, replaces parks commissioner William Ryan.

Rinker, who will serve a three-year term, joins commissioners Fred Rzepka and David Whitehead. One of the trio’s more recent challenges is to find a replacement for longtime parks Executive Director Vern Hartenburg, who announced his retirement in September.

Russo, presiding judge of the probate court who appoints the Metroparks commissioner, said he chose Rinker because of Rinker’s background as a mayor and lawyer.

"As an attorney, he specializes in real estate law, including municipal, eminent domain, and zoning issues which the Metroparks deal with regularly," Russo said in a written statement Monday.

Rinker was a labor relations representative, state appellate court law clerk, assistant county prosecutor handling felony cases and a trial attorney for over 25 years. He specializes in municipal, zoning and eminent domain law, according to his firm’s Web site.

"Bruce Rinker is a highly qualified and extremely knowledgeable individual," Russo wrote. "... Furthermore, his character and integrity are beyond reproach."

Russo’s own judgment came under scrutiny in a Sunday Plain Dealer story that outlined closed-door interviews between the commissioners and finalists for the $153,000-a-year executive director’s job in which the judge was present. Four finalists remain from a pool of 60 who applied for the job.

Russo acknowledged he asked questions during the 90-minute interviews and that he shared his opinions with the commissioners. The commissioners, not Russo, have a vote in deciding who gets the director’s job. However, there appears to be no legal problem with Russo’s level of involvement in the search process.

Russo could not be reached for comment Monday. He said last week that he had no plans to reappoint Ryan, who became a commissioner in 2003. This, Russo said, was in part because of what he believes to be Ryan’s preference for one of the applicants. Ryan said in a statement last week that he hopes Russo’s first appointment to the board is not "a political one but one based on commitment and financial integrity."

Russo, elected to the bench last year and whose campaign finance reports were subpoenaed as part of the countywide corruption investigation, has said that his involvement in selecting an executive director is a chance for him to get to know the candidates, commissioners and the park system as well. However, past appointing judges John Donnelly and Francis J. Talty apparently did not sit in on commissioners interviews and were not as involved.

Russo said a bad decision for the executive director’s job will influence his decision to reappointment the commissioners. The judge said that he has not made a commitment on whether to reappoint long-time parks commissioner Rzepka or Whitehead.

Russo and Rinker have known each other for about 20 years, Rinker said, describing the judge as an acquaintance and constituent. Sections of the Metroparks border Rinker’s Mayfield community, and Rinker said he has been dealing with park leaders for years. He said he and Russo share the same sentiments for the park system.

"I have always been excited on how the park environment can be used," Rinker said. "I’ve always loved the Metroparks system."

He said Russo gauged his interest for a seat on the board about two months ago. Rinker said he expressed interest but left that choice to Russo.

Rinker acknowledged that Russo has taken an active role in the hunt for an executive director but doesn’t expect Russo to tell him what to do.

"Anytime you have a change in leadership, that’s a sensitive time," Rinker said. "I’m certain that he’s looking that we all make good decisions. I’m not looking to be a rubber stamp."

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